APPLICATION

AREA by INTEGRATION
Geometric Interpretation of Area by
Integration.

Consider y = f(x)

The region will be divided into n rectangles with equal width. Such
that,
 
Let, Si = area of the ith rectangle
A = summation of the area of the n-rectangles
 A = f(x1).Δx1 + f(x2).Δx2 + f(x3).Δx3 + f(x4).Δx4 + f(x5).Δx5 + f(x6).Δx6

By increasing the number n rectangles, we decrease their breadth Δx.

As Δx gets increasingly smaller we say it ‘tends to zero’,
i.e. Δx  0.
x b
So we define A  lim  f(x).x
x 0
x a

was simplified into the form that we are familiar with

today
b
A   f ( x)dx
a
This reads
‘the area A is equal to the integral of f(x) from a to b’.
Suggested Steps to Determine the Area of a Plane Figure by Integration:

1. Determine the intersection points of the given boundaries or equations.

2. Graph the given functions.
3. Shade the area to be determined.
4. Consider a thin rectangle anywhere within the region, horizontal or
vertical element, to represent the entire region.
5. Determine the dimensions of the rectangular element and limits of
integration. Apply the integral using the extreme points as the limit of
integration to determine the total area.
coordinates of point of
intersection
element length width limits of integration

horizontal xright - xleft dy ordinates read from bottom to top

vertical yupper - ylower dx abscissa read from left to right

6. Set up the area of the element and evaluate the integral throughout the
region.
Area Under the Curve
EXAMPLE

Find the area of the region bounded by the line y  4  2x

and the coordinate axes.
Using vertical stripping Using horizontal stripping

y
y

(0,4)
(0,4)
y = 4 - 2x

(x,y)
y = 4 - 2x
(x,y)
w = dy
L=y
(2,0)
x
(2,0) O
x
O L=x
w = dx
 The rectangular strip has a partial
Using Vertical Stripping:
area:
y
dA = area of the element

dA = y dx, y = 4 – 2x
(0,4)
Integrate throughout the region:

(x,y)
y = 4 - 2x
x 2

L=y A  (4  2 x)dx
x 0
(2,0)
x 2 2
A  4 dx  2 xdx
O

w = dx
0 0

A  4(2)  2  0 2  2 22
A  4 x  x 
 2 0
A  4 squnits
 Using Horizontal Stripping: The rectangular strip has a
y
partial area:
dA = area of the element
(0,4)
dA  xdy, 1
y = 4 - 2x x  (4  y )
2
Integrate throughout the region:
(x,y)
w = dy 4 1
A (4  y )dy
(2,0) x
0 2
O
4 4
1
L=x A  2  dy   ydy
0
20
 1 y2  4
A  2 y  0
 2 2
A  4 squnits
42
A  2( 4)  0
4
CHECK: The figure formed is a right triangle

1
(0,4) Where A  bh
y = 4 - 2x
2
1
h A  (2)( 4)  4 squnits
2
(2,0)
x
O
b
Area Between two Curves
Area Between two Curves
Finding the limits of integration for area between two curves
Step 1: Sketch the region and draw a vertical line segment
through the region at the arbitrary point on the x-axis,
connecting the top and bottom boundaries

Step 2. The y-coordinate of the

top endpoint of the line
segment sketched in
step 1 will be f(x), the
bottom one g(x), and
the length of the line
segment will be
f(x) – g(x). This is the
integrand in 1.
Step 3.
To determine the limits of integration,
imagine moving the line segment left and
then right. The leftmost position at which the
line segment intersects the region is x=a and
the rightmost is x=b.
 d
A   [ w( y )  v( y )]dy
c
EXAMPLE

Determine the area of the region bounded by the curve

y2  4x
, the lines x=0 , and y=2.
y Using horizontal stripping,
y=2 2 y2
(1,2)
A   xdy but x
4
0
y2
w = dy (x,y)
2
A dy
x
o 4
O
L=x
1 2 2
y2 = 4x A   y dy
4 0
2
x=0
1 y 3 
A  
A
8 2

12 3
A
1 3
12
2 0   4 3  0
 Point of intersection of y = 2 and
Using vertical stripping, the curve:
y y2
If y = 2: x
w = dx y=2 4
22
L = 2- y
(1,2)
x x 1
4
 (1, 2)
(x,y)

x
O
 dA   (2  y )dx
y2 = 4x
1
A   (2  y )dx y   4x
0 y  2 x
x=0 1

A   2  2 x dx
0

y  2 x
1

A   2  2 x dx
0

2
A  squnits
3
EXAMPLE
2
Find the area of the region bounded by the curve y   x
and y  x.
.

Intersection points of the line

y
and the curve: (0,0) and (-1,1)
y=x

By vertical stripping

w = dx
 dA    y C  y L dx
V(0,0)

A    yC  y L dx
x
O
(x,yC)
y = -x2
L = y C - yL

(x,yL) y C  x 2 yL  x
 x 
(-1,-1)
0
A 2
 x dx
1

1
A
0
1
x 2
 x dx
A
6
Area Between two Curves
Area Between two Curves
Finding the limits of integration for area between two curves
Step 1: Sketch the region and draw a vertical line segment
through the region at the arbitrary point on the x-axis,
connecting the top and bottom boundaries

Step 2. The y-coordinate of the

top endpoint of the line
segment sketched in
step 1 will be f(x), the
bottom one g(x), and
the length of the line
segment will be
f(x) – g(x). This is the
integrand in 1.
Step 3.
To determine the limits of integration,
imagine moving the line segment left and
then right. The leftmost position at which the
line segment intersects the region is x=a and
the rightmost is x=b.
 d
A   [ w( y )  v( y )]dy
c